I have done several posts, sent numerous tweets and posted many pictures on my Facebook page of pets looking for their forever homes. Some of those pets have been lucky enough to have found that someone special to take them in and care for them.
However, I don’t hear about their lives afterwards. I wonder about them; are they happy, have they settled in alright, do they now have other furfriends to play with?
So I decided to find out.
I’ve asked people if they would share their pet rescue stories.
You will hear how these pets came to their new home, struggles they may have encountered, how it changed the lives of both the pet and the humans involved.
Pet Rescue Stories – After They Go Home
Vinnie’s Story
As told by his “mom” Marilyn
Vinnie’s Story
This past summer I lost my dog Pedro. I never felt for anyone or anything what I felt for him. I missed him terribly. Some of the things I missed were from his Pug half…his snorting, snoring and humour. Pedro was a Chug which is half Pug and half Chihuahua. I knew I either wanted a pug or a pug mix if and when I got another dog.
I still had my Bella… my little Taco Terrier. Bella was brutally attacked in September by a neighbor’s dog. I thought I was also going to loose her.What I couldn’t stand to see in the midst of her getting well was her getting depressed. She really needed a friend and I needed to let go of Pedro.
In October I started the search. Every day I’d look on Petfinder to find a connection with one of the many dogs on the screen in front of me. I was particularly interested in a Oregon shelter called My Way Home Dog Rescue. They tended to have older dogs and hard to place dogs. They only have a small amount of dogs who are all in foster homes.They aren’t stuck in Kennels.
Vinnies’ Story
I almost fell to the floor when I saw Vinnie’s profile, he looked so much like my lost Pedro and like him, he was a Chug. At first I didn’t contact the Rescue, I was afraid to love again. I couldn’t forget him though and sent a email and filled out the application that I printed out.
A few days passed and I noticed a message from Pam who was Vinnie’s foster mom on my phone. Two days later, Pam and Cheryl (who started www.mywayhomedogrescue.org) were at my door for a home visit with Vinnie. I scooped him up and knew he belonged.
Pam told me Vinnie had come from the state of Kentucky. He had been surrendered by a family consisting of a mom and son. The kid had severely abused Vinnie, that is why the mother gave him up. Vinnie came with lots of problems including his fear of leashes. I guess the kid had tried to strangle him and had swung him around with the leash. Vinnie would probably never go for walks, he had trust issues. Vinnie would take time and need love.
Vinnie had been in foster for a year waiting for his forever family. I looked at my husband and looked at Bella who seemed to like Vinnie and knew he didn’t need to look any further. What ever he needed, we were willing to give to him.
It’s been almost two months now and I wouldn’t trade him for anything. No Vinnie is not the perfect dog. He may never be. But Vinnie is the perfect dog for me. I love him.
